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GREAT IS THE GLORY – Song Story:
Some songs have a special place in the heart of the singer, and for me “Great Is The Glory” is one of those. I look forward to it in my concert Set List, and find myself asking God each night I sing it for a fresh glimpse of His glory.
I come from London, England, but currently live across the Pond in Nashville, Tennessee. Twice a year I go to England to visit, and on my last trip there I was amazed at how old and historic the buildings were. I was struck by the greenness of the fields and the majesty of Big Ben overlooking the Thames River. Absence definitely reminded me of its beauty- even though I grew up there for over 20 years of my life, time away helped me see it with fresh eyes, fresh wonder.
Sometimes I think the Gospel can become so familiar to us that we lose the sense of wonder we had when we heard it for the first time. Sometimes we aren’t even aware of it. I lived in London for years and didn’t realize that I had totally started to take for granted my daily views of Buckingham Palace and the experience of riding on the Underground. What was special became everyday, and it took time away to realize its beauty again.
The verses of “Great Is The Glory” simply tell the gospel story – God coming to earth, dying, rising again. The basic truths that our whole lives are built upon. It’s my prayer that as we hear and sing those verses, we would remember the wonder of the gospel again. That God would shine thorough those simple lyrics, revealing Himself and leaving us responding “great is your glory Lord!”.
My studies at Oxford gave me a deep passion for the Bible. In it’s pages we see what happens when people catch a fresh glimpse of God’s glory and of what He has done for us. Ezekiel said “like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around Him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown” (Ezekiel 1:28). He fell on his face and from that moment on, walked in reverent fear of the Lord, carrying God’s message.
Isaiah had a similar experience: “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Seeing the glory of the Lord humbled him, and led him to say “Here I am, send me”. May it have the same effect on all of us.
The lyrics from the bridge of the song are taken straight out of the book of Revelation: “You are the One who was, You are the One who is, You are the One who is to come”. Singing of the Lord’s glory is not just something we’ll be doing here on earth – its something that will happen for all eternity! We get a glimpse into heaven in Revelation 4: “the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory!” (Revelation 4:10-11).
So whether you are listening to the song on the radio in your car, or singing it on Sunday morning at Church, I pray that its message of the cross and resurrection will stir you afresh to worship Jesus. May the God who showed Himself to Isaiah, to Ezekiel, draw near to you too. Many people in Scripture caught a glimpse of God’s glory - and they were never the same again.
God came down and gave His life for me
Amen, Amen
Through flesh and blood, He fought for victory
Amen, Amen
Crucified, brought back to life
Amen, Amen
Seated at the Father’s hand again
Amen, Amen
Great is the glory
of the Lord Almighty
Great is the glory of the Lord
I will sing with all my heart
Unto You Lord Almighty
Great is Your glory Lord
Crimson covered over sinless hands
Amen, Amen
But nails could never hold the Son of Man
Amen, Amen
Now the Father’s love flows down on us
Amen, Amen
Hallelujah he will come again!
Amen, Amen
Great is the glory of the Lord Almighty
Great is the glory of the Lord
I will sing with all my heart
Unto You Lord Almighty
Great is Your glory Lord
You are the one who was
You are the one who is
You are the one who is to come
(Scripture References: John 1:14, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Hebrews 2:9)
